"I love you" (Jari)

For a week now Marilyn and Jake's home had been quiet and both had stuck it out very well. And both had found it very amusing and endearing that they could see cute thoughts the other accidently 'thought' out loud. Jake had caught Marilyn thinking out loud about how safe she felt in his arms at night, how much she loved him when he'd mouthed along to a love song and twirled her around the kitchen.

They'd studied together as usual and despite only her voice being impaired, Jake had still insisted that she be careful and rest, much to her amusement. But the time had finally come. They were sitting in the a Healers office in Mungo's waiting for him to take off the bind and to hear if the operation had been successful.

So full of anticipation she squeezed Jake's hand, biting her lip as the Healer removed the bind...

The silence had become something of a game between the two of them, well, silence in a manner. They could still communicate, but now it was uncensored, true, honest. They'd managed to convey things without realising, like how Jake had merely thought she looked beautiful as she walked around in his shirts. Marilyn had began to softly chuckle as his thoughts moved to stopping studying to tickle her senseless, but she'd caught him out and made sure he couldn't.

But mostly, she saw the way he loved everything about her as his thoughts turned to words to tell her she was perfect to him.

The week had been a week of studying and sitting around the flat just chilling out and enjoying their free time. Jake had only left to go to teach at both schools, lifting his silencing charm only for his lessons before he headed home to Marilyn.

The week had zoomed by, and a week after the operation, they were sat in front of the Healer, Jake holding Marilyn's hand and his wand in the other. He'd raised the spell when the Healer did it to Marilyn, and he waited to see how the operation had gone, holding his breath and biting his lip in anticipation.

"Try it out, Miss Caldwell, just no shouting." The healer advised gently, taking a step back to give her some room.

The witch turned in her seat to face Jake, biting back a smile before crystal clear words rang out. Her eyes brightening at the old, almost forgotten sound of her voice. Soft and tinkling, not very deep at all, quite a girly voice. Dreamy, but substantial. And very pleasantly pitched. No evidence of the past horrors.

Her eyes glistened with tears when she grinned at him, pressing her forehead to his, all of her happiness shining through her expression. Her fingertips gently restin at his cheekbones and temples.

Jake let out a soft chuckle at the advice from the Healer, his attention turning fully to Marilyn. Nodding gently in encouragement, Jake allowed her to move closer.

"I love you."

Jake's breath hitched at the sound of her voice - he didn't know that it had been her voice before all her trauma, but to him, it was perfect. The young man could feel tears building in his eyes, tears of happiness and relief that everything Marilyn had wanted had come to life. Pressing a light kiss on her lips, Jake put his hands over hers, squeezing gently.

"You sound amazing, beautiful, you are beautiful." Jake told her softly. "You've done amazing, I'm so proud of you." He told her, smiling despite the fact the tears were threatening to fall. He hadn't expected this to work half as well as it had, but Jake knew that this... this was all they'd wanted and needed.

She kissed him back and laughed, a clear, bright sound. "Thank you, I love you, thank you." She kissed just under his eyes where the witch saw tears gathering and smiled. This was everything she couldve hoped for and more. This, this was pure happiness.

The Healer let them have a few moments alone, not wanting to bother them in their happiness just yet.

"I sound like myself again," she murmured incredulously, "Im so happy; this is brilliant it couldnt be better."

"I'm definitely not going to hear that enough times now." Jake mused, hugging his girlfriend and relaxing. It was perfect, how they'd, or perhaps he, had been blessed with such perfection he didn't know right now.

And the tenderness of Marilyn's kisses made Jake realise he'd almost been crying. Letting out a wry laugh at that information, Jake reached up and wiped at his eyes, trying to get rid of the evidence of tears, even if they were only a sign of how happy he really was.

"I'm so happy; this is brilliant it couldn't be better."

"You have every right to be." Jake whispered, gently easing her hands from his face, squeezing them gently. "How long will the next stage take, Doctor? She'll still have to go careful with her voice?" He asked, because there was no way he was going to jeopardise her recovery, not now.

"As if you could get enough before," The witch laughed, shaking her head as he wiped his tears and she held him tight, kissing him when she could. Her hands holding his tightly as excitement rolled through her and a world of possibilities opened itself to the heiress. "How long will the next stage take, Doctor? She'll still have to go careful with her voice?"

The healer smiled, "She'll have intensive therapy this week, and she shouldn't strain her voice by yelling or...screaming." The healer gave them a knowing, stern look. "But then she'll be fine. This really is easily corrected, and there is no real risk that her voice could be damaged now."

Mari nearly fainted with happiness, burying her face in Jakes shoulder because now she was actually crying, so full of relief that nothing was ever going to take this away from her again.

Jake merely chuckled at her words, never denying what she'd said because honestly, after the first time Marilyn had told him she loved him, each time she said those words it became more believable. There was a pause, where the Healer contemplated his words.

"She'll have intensive therapy this week, and she shouldn't strain her voice by yelling or...screaming."

Letting out a soft chuckle at the man's words, Jake nodded. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen." Jake told the man before them before Marilyn turned in his arms. He could feel she was crying, and Jake simply held her close, running his fingers through her hair and allowing Marilyn her moment to get the tears out of her system. The Healer left the room, telling them that they were done for now and that the appointment time would come to the via owl.

Sitting quietly for some time, Jake gently tilted Marilyn's head back and kissed her lips gently. "Let's get you home, hmm?" Jake asked, pressing another kiss to her lips.